In this long article, the reporter talks about the nutrition and training regimes of three actresses.
Jessica Biel is a vampire slayer with deltoids to die for in ‘Blade: Trinity,’ Hilary Swank shows off a chiseled back as a boxer in ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and Jennifer Garner sports tightly toned abs as an action hero in ‘Elektra.’
We’re told:
“We’re talking about girls with meat and bones and athletic, healthy-looking bodies, not these 105-pound sticks. I like that. I think that’s a good message.”
So we not only have to be thin, now we have to have muscles as well. This is not just about health, – it is also about good old fashioned vanity. The workout and nutrition regimes these women have followed is typical of any bodybuilder, or fitness model.
I’m not so sure it’s a good message to be honest. I think we already know we’re overweight and unhealthy. We already know that all the people on TV are thin and good looking. However, there is a fine line between being inspired and feeling belittled.
As for us; the general public:
The actresses won’t get much praise, though, from the general public, whose sentiment runs along the lines of: “If I had a trainer and a personal chef, I’d be in the best shape of my life too.”
Not so fast, say the fitness consultants to these stars. It’s true that celebrities enjoy perks, such as private training and nutritionists, and have plenty of time and motivation – such as big paychecks and costumes that leave nothing to the imagination.
But, the consultants say, the Laws of Physiques aren’t suspended for the rich and famous.
Building muscles is hard work. But frankly it would be a bit easier with a nutritionist and fitness trainer on hand. Oh yeah, did I also add you get paid and sponsored for looking like that (part of the movie deal)?
Whatever your walk of life, there is no substitute for dedication and consistency. These factors (along with diet, nutrition, cardio, weights) are what enable people to go from fat to fit.
i am still young but i am almost 100 pounds overweight. i believe this website has given me very good advice because you do need to have consistancy to loose weight. You can’t expect to loose 10 pounds in one or two days. You have to work hard for it. i have tried to wake up earlier in the morining to go for a jog, but i dont have the energy or the determination to do so. to tell you the truth, I would rather go at night, but my husband says to just go in the morning. the thing is i hate waking up early. I used to dance, i did ballet and tap, and i stayed fit. then i quit and now i am gaining weight like crazy. when i danced, i had practice two times a week and the practices were 1 hour long each. so i could eat whatever i wanted. now im confused because now i have soccer practice every week and i still cant eat like i used to. Huh….so confusing.
Quit yer bitchin!!!!
I work more than the normal 40 hours a week and was 65 pounds over weight, I found a healthy diet, I worked out 4 sometimes 5 times a week even if it was for a quick 15 minute deal.
The point is I got up off my butt and did something about it. I now weigh 128 pounds, I am toned and feel better than I ever have in my life and i am 31 years old. Don’t starve yourself just eat sensibly.
These actresses chose their profession, part of their job is to stay in shape and look young.
I want to know ellen burstyn’s diet she’s still alive and full of energy.
hello for years and years now my weight has gone up and down and i just want an effective diet plan that will help me shed weight fast..i love 2 workout i just dont know if the right ones ..i am very active but still kind aeat bad yes i kno thats part of my problem but if i had a food diet to go along with my diet i would then lose the weight also i am goin 2 be on a tv soon …ill b n the audience in may and i want to lose as much weight as possible i waana look cute again like i once did ….thank you 4 taking the time to read this ,and i hope that u can help me…bye
Here’s an idea – instead of complaining about how you don’t have time to workout, stop reading this silly article and go to the gym? We all know that it is difficult to lose weight – there is a lot of temptation out there. I love burgers, fries, and chocolate cake just as much as anyone. Part of the problem, along with what everyone else has mentioned here, is that we are eating too much of these items. It’s OK to have these items in small quantities and portion sizes, but its not OK to eat a Big Mac every evening for dinner!
Yes, it’s difficult. The things we want most in life
usually are. But if you really want to look and feel a lot better, it will take work, and it will take much more than a week to look that good.
You also need to start taking responsibility for your own actions – who chose to eat the super sized burger and fries? Who chose to come home after work and sit on the couch and watch TV for hours? Who chose to laze around the house all day and not go out to enjoy the fresh air? I’m not saying that these activities are all bad – I definitely enjoy doing nothing for hours. But, and the same goes towards eating habits, moderation is key. Working out too much and too hard can have detrimental effects, just as eating too much or not eating enough are unhealthy. Moderation, moderation, moderation. It’s hard to learn it, but once you do, you will see changes…
i have a question how much does a author make per a week
?
How much does a movie star make a week?
i have a question how much does a author make per a week
?
How much does a movie star make a week?
The reality is that most people famous for their “awesome bodies” also have genetics on their side. It is not just the dedication (and the flexible hours + more money than us average joes) that makes them look like that. Otherwise you wouldn’t have plenty of celebs, who have the same incentives as the fit ones, who struggle with weight/body fat too.
Christine is absolutely right. This obsession with having “abs like [insert celebrity name]” is not healthy, and it is not just because it is about muscle instead of bones that it makes it better. It is just as frustrating and psychologically damaging.
Incentive people! This is what it’s about. If the average Joe thought that having a great physique was incentive enough to work for a great body, there wouldn’t be a problem.
I guarantee that if we were offered what celebs were offered (i.e. personal trainer, personal chef, money, endorsements, etc) we would all look fabulous.
Let’s see these celebs obtain their physiques without “perks”. Then I’ll be impressed.
I see three problems here:
1. people associate t.v with real life
2. people are not understandig as to how weight loss occures, and
3. People cannot accept themselves
guys, give it a rest. remember cartoons, they were fun to watch and imitate once in awhile, but even as little kids we had a basic understanding that its not real. Time to step it up a nocth, sepertate T.V personalities and such from everyday life!! It amazes me how we complain that T.V actors and such are “too thin, too tall , too pretty, too this , too that, too….and it doesnt represent real life or people”. Because it is not suppose to. Reality t.v is a joke. There is no reality in T.V. It is not real life. Believeing so and tampering with your body this way is SAT “Sick and Twisted” ( think Im being extreeme? check out eating disorder patients and see what i mean ).
Weight loss is not a game, not a holiday, not something to do when your bored, it is not a ” just something to do in the moment”. It is an effort, it is time, it is setbacks and it is getting your self up and out there. This is not a competition, there is no reward for looking anorexic/ muscular/whatever….no matter what you can come up with.The RESULT of exersizing is better health. This IS NOT A REWARD this is A RESULT OF HARD WORK. Unless you are the 2% of the population that has a movie-star body, technically you are tricking you body into being healthy…and yes that is aN IMPORTANT thing, but it takes work.
Stop beating yourselfs up….take it form someone who just lost 40+ lbs and then gained 15+ back…it takes effort and a great deal of self love. I KNOW I am not a thin person and wasnt meant to be , but i have the self love and knowledge to get back into shape. One quote i have with me whenever i work out:
“Fit is important, thin (insert muscular) is just a perk.”
and the next ( that i dont use for exersize),
“If we cannot find time for exersize, we will have to make time for hospital visits.”
the first quote just takes away the apperace side away from working out..its not about looks, it about health
and the second one is obvious and esp. adult (30+) who mostly have work , children, maybe schooling and growing older to worry about.
I hope ya’ll learn form this!
peace out.
Mary,
I admire your dedication. I’m 32, a writer, and I work about 37.5 hours a week as a receptionist, not to mention seeking promotion for my writing. However, I do believe it’s incredibly important to take care of yourself. I practice Tae Kwon Do 3 times a week, and go to the gym 2 – 3 times a week. It does take quite a bit of dedication to take care of your health, but it’s definitely worth it, and more often than not you end up feeling damned proud of yourself.
I didn’t read anything on this website I just scrolled down looking for Dalip Singh’s workout plan if he has one. I don’t even know if that is what this site is for it should be afterall the name is Movie Star Body: How They Achieve It…
Just because you’re not in Hollywood doesn’t mean you don’t have/can’t have an awesome body. I run for about 5 miles a day and lift weights 2-3 times a week, which takes me all of an hour and 10 minutes a day (so I don’t get to watch as much TV, big deal). I am buff as hell and everyone wants to know my big secret. The secret is: I eat healthy foods (no junk, little sugar, and little red meat) and work out. I’m pretty sure most people can skip an episode of Desperate Housewives and get on a treadmill a few days a week. It just takes a little effort and discipline. Since some people in Hollywood DON’T have that, they hire people to MAKE them work out and eat right.
I totally agree with Mary. I too work about 50 hours per week but find at least 1-2 hours per day to work out. I go to the gym either before work or after work or both. It’s hard and sometimes it sucks, but looking good is hard work (at least for me!) I lost 30 pounds the hard way, but it gave me so much self-esteem. It’s all about what you want and how bad you want it. You have to believe in yourself!
I have deltoids like Jessica Biel in Blade, and abs like Jennifer Garner, I am just a regular girl who works 50 hours a week at a desk job, also works 8 hours+ a week at the horse stables and volunteers my time with various organizations. And yes I do have friends family and in a committed relationship. And I eat about 7 times a day. Call it good genes if you will, but there is no excuse to not life a healthy lifestyle and be physically at your optimum. Whatever YOUR optimum means to YOU. I don’t expect one to have a training schedule like mine, but if a regular person like me can do it, so can anyone! So, i spend about 3 times a week at the gym lifting weights and 3 times a week Intense cardio as well as walk my dog for 45 minutes daily. I also do equestrian sports weekly and am in 2 different martial arts disciplines that I train 2 times a week. No I do not make a ton of money nor do I have a nutritionist or a trainer. I’m also 34 years old. Mainly what I am saying is if you want a body to die for you just go for it!
…& get lipo
u cant forget the people in hollywood who snort coke n lose weight
yea, it’s true that some actors/actresses have personal chefs/trainers. yet, do you realize that only a SMALL percentage of hollywood can afford that? i mean, maybe the top 2 percent of actors can afford that stuff. the other 98 percent are just ‘famous’ but not necessarily all that rich as people make them out to be. i mean, no disrespect to anybody, but if you work hard at your body, you can also get a great body………………. stop speculating people, just because people are famous doesn’t mean they all are all insanely rich. yea, the top ones are………..but not the majority………….
It’s funny to read all those comments of angry people that think that stars like Swank and else deserve to be hated because they have an awesome body and also are paid to having it, we shouldn’t hate them or even shouldn’t get obsesed to try to look like them by making starvation diets that only makes your metabolism slower with the past of time, i’m a med student and as a many girls, always suffered about my few over pounds, my life changed when i got into a gym 3 years ago only because a friend asked me to, i was in high school then but i loved it, not only because i was looking better, but for the way it made me feel, strong, healthy, after that i started to improve my eating habits (i used to be before a diet-freek, i did everything! never worked) my body really changed when i started to eat healthier and that didn’t make me spend more money, it even saved me a lot of it! because now, when i go to mcdonald’s with my friends, i only ask for a bottle of water and when i get home i eat an enormus plate of chiken with plenty of veggies, there’s always time to work out, did you know that jumping rope for 10 minutes is the same thing that running for 45 min?… don’t you have 10 minutes a day?… there are no such a thing as “they can and i can’t because…” we all can, but don’t do it because you want to look like an actresse… doing because YOU want to feel better and have a better life, if you feel in control with your own body… you’ll feel in control with a lot of parts of your life
I dont think scott meant to imply that Hillary Swank lost weight for the role; only that she ate right and fueled her body well while she was training. Nutrition is important no matter what your fitness goals.
And yea, she gained about 20 pounds of muscle. But she worked out an obsessive amount and that is how she was able to do it so quickly.
Scott, I found your assertion that Hillary Swank got the body by eating chicken breasts, tuna, etc. – as if she were dieting your way … to lose weight – interesting.
She’s vegetarian and gained weight for the role (reportedly 19 pounds).
It is all about dedication and making choices. I completely agree with Scott’s message. You have to want to be healthy. People often look to food because they are bored, need comforting or poor eating has become a habit.
I am a mother of three children ages 9, 4 and 2. I was up to 176 pounds before my second child. I am now 120 pounds on a 5’7″ frame. I am toned and very happy with my body. In addition to being a good mom, I am also a teacher. My day is long, but rewarding.
How did I do it? The treadmill was a big help in burning fat. I started out slow. I walked for 20 minutes on an incline. After about a week I did a warm up for 5 minutes of walking, then I ran for 30 minutes. I was intent on losing weight so I gradually upped my cardio to 45 minutes on a slight incline. Now that I am at my ideal weight I just do 30 minutes of cardio to maintain.
If I was going to lose the weight I knew I had to change my diet as well. I cut out cookies, ice cream, potato chips and other snacks. Juice, a hidden source of sugar that will sabatoge any diet, was replaced with water. I usually added a slice of lemon to give it flavor. I also drank green tea flavored with sweetener. I ate foods like skinless chicken breast, spinach, apples, bananas, tuna, oatmeal, Fiber One cereal (add blueberries for great flavor), beans, broccoli, brown rice, oranges, 1% milk, tomatoes and frozen yogurt.
I don’t believe in the fad diets. I think healthy eating and exercise is the best way to be healthy for life. Actresses who are toned and have meat on their bones are realistic. They are real. They display a positive self image that is attainable, if you have the will power to stick to a healthy diet and exercise routine. It is sad that our society is so overweight and we are passing on the message to our kids that it is okay.
I see at least 750 children a day. A large portion of the kids are overweight. The effect it has on their relationships with their peers is noticable. They are picked last in playing games. They can’t keep up in p.e. and are generally unhealthy. Parents need to start looking harder at themselves and the message they are passing on to their kids as they stuff themselves with Big Macs and super sized fries topped by a large helping of carbonated sugar water.
I am grateful for actresses like Hillary Swank who portray a healthy, muscular body image. Besides, who do you think looks better Kate Moss or Beyonce? I’d much rather look like Beyonce with a little meat on my bones than just a walking skeleton. Keep up the hard work girls. It can be done.
I agree with robert; “STOP HATIN”
I agree that the focus from thin/underweight to muscular/healthy weight is a good trend. There is a trap in desiring after such a body too much, however. Its unfortunate that people now will put themselves to shame for not having the same body as movie stars, when it is just as easy to take that image as motivation to do better for oneself. When it comes down to it, it takes love, not shame, to start to move in the direction of a fit/attractive body and good health. As far as time concerns, I am convinced it is a matter of focus. In my pursuit of health (over 85lbs lost) I find it complex and challenging (note, not confusing), to eat the right foods and exercise daily, but this challenge fosters self-esteem, more energy, and a shift from stressful activities to energizing activities. I think if more people put themselves out there and gave it a real shot, they too would experience the benefits. Health and fitness begets a stronger resolve to stay the path. Anyone can do it, and I encourage everyone to put their best foot foward, seek the right knowledge, and throw out any comparisons to others that make you doubt yourself. Its about YOU, and no one else. Do the best for yourself, and in turn you will do the best for every aspect of your life.
Awesome comments.
To those who interpreted any of my spin as hateful – that wasn’t my intention. My wife and I both make big allowances to fit in our gym and exercise times each week. This includes ‘tag-teaming’ it to look after our young children. We know what reality is. But there are plenty of people out there who look at TV and movies and think that it’s easy, and then come down on themselves because they don’t look like that.
Anyone who has ever made any physical transformation knows it takes dedication and sacrifice – two words that don’t often enter our vocabulary.
I think another important point to note is that most actors/actresses not only have a personal trainer and cook, but also have the free time to work out and spend more than 30 minutes a day exercising. That isn’t to say that they aren’t just as busy, but without an 8 hour + job a day, I think all of us could find the time to workout. I do agree though that you have to have the determination not to just sit around and do nothing.
For actresses and actors, their body is their money. So, it makes sense that they work their hardest to stay in shape. I will also agree that I am glad Hollywood is turning their focus to more sculpted bodies rather than purely thin bodies. At least that gives us everyday citizens a more healthy goal to strive to without totally starving ourselves for results.
Yes, these women have bodies that many would kill to have. They have money. They have personal trainers. They have chefs.
Guess who else had all of that?
ELVIS “FAT AS HELL” PRESLEY.
Genetics plays into it quite a bit, but so does dedication, decision making, and you nailed it, Vanity.
I hope nobody is confusing Celebrities with “real people.” They aren’t real, they’re under demand from studios and the public to look a certain way. Imagine 4,000,000 eyes staring at every inch of your body… makes ya wanna get in the gym more, huh?
I’m glad to see hollywood change the focus from thin to muscular. focusing on thin is what leads to people starving themselves and a host of eating disorders. Focusing on being muscular requires people to weight train…a much healthier lifestyle.
As for the hateful tone of the original post, that usually comes from a person who is frustrated or a person who is so over-whelmed that they feel like they lost control of everything. The post also implies that people want to have body of the stars. That’s crap. You lead a “normal” life and don’t have as much free time as the stars. You also can’t afford a personal trainer or a personal chef…those are what it takes to get that body. For some reason, that people think that since they can’t have THAT body, they don’t have to try at all. You don’t have to look like Jennifer Garner, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for being a 200 pounds couch potato.
Focus on living a long, healthy life and setting a good example for you kid(s). That means eating a healthy diet and spending a little time each day to focus on staying fit.
I refuse to believe that people can’t find 30 minutes to do jumping jacks, push ups and sit ups. If you can do that for 30 days, THEN you can think about buying some free weights. Joining a gym is nice, but requires time that many people don’t have. Spend $50 on some free weights at Play-it-Again Sports and start resistance training. Do the pushups/situp/jumping jacks one day, lift weights the next day. Do yourself a favor, weigh in the day you start, then stay off that scale for a month. The daily fluctuations can be a wicked rollercoaster!
Watch your diet. Do you think Hillary Swank ate a lot of McDonald’s while whe was training for that movie? She ate chicken breasts, salads, tuna fish, fruit and drank a lot of water. Limit yourself to 1,500 calories per day. Yes, you’re gonna have to count calories! It’s not hard, but it takes some effort and discipline.
The 6 meal plan is misleading. If you are on a 1,500 calorie diet, a 3 meal plan makes each meal 500 calories. A 6 meal diet is 250. So make a normal breakfast, but only eat half. Come back two hours later and reheat the leftovers. If you are on the go, look at the meal replacement drinks and bars. They aren’t as tasty as a home cooked meal, but they meet your needs and travel well.
The key is to know that you can do this, but it will take some effort. Then decide whether you really want to be healthier and more fitt. The more you want it, the easier it is. If you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to make the time. I know a mother of three who trained for the Chicago marathon…it took 15 months of training, but she did it. What one person can do, another person can do…but they gotta want it!
Choices; One chose to be an actor, one chose to be a mom, both very noble but w/ different costs. Not everyone can be an actor or a mom…….
Stop hating